遺書(いしょ)

いしょ
noun
farewell letter; written last words; suicide note
communication
1. farewell letter; written last words; will
A document left behind by a deceased person, expressing their final wishes, instructions, or messages to the living.
遺書(いしょ)を書(か)き残(のこ)す。
To leave a farewell letter.
祖父(そふ)の遺書(いしょ)が見(み)つかった。
A farewell letter from my grandfather was found.
遺書(いしょ)には家族(かぞく)への感謝(かんしゃ)の言葉(ことば)がつづられていた。
The letter was full of words of thanks to the family.
2. suicide note
A note or letter left behind by a person who has taken their own life.
遺書(いしょ)は残(のこ)されていなかった。
No suicide note was left behind.
机(つくえ)の上(うえ)に遺書(いしょ)が置(お)かれていた。
A suicide note had been placed on the desk.
警察(けいさつ)は遺書(いしょ)の内容(ないよう)から自殺(じさつ)と断定(だんてい)した。
The police determined it was suicide based on the contents of the note.

遺書(いしょ) is any final written message left by someone who has died, including personal letters and suicide notes. A will in the legal sense, dealing with property, is 遺言(ゆいごん) or, formally, 遺言書(ゆいごんしょ) (lawyers read 遺言(いごん)).

Common collocations

general
Added 2026.3.24 19:05 · Revised 2026.10.8 9:43
19000/19136_isho